Indispensable Things: Part Two

Posted On 03 Apr 2013

Welcome to the second installment of Indispensable Things. These are products that have become more than a simple review and forget proposition. We find ourselves reaching for these items long after the review process is over, long after we should have moved on to the latest and greatest. For a look at the first part of this series check out Indispensable Things: Part 1. Here are three new things that have become, well, indispensable.

Mavic Helium JacketMade from DuraLite SL, a super lightweight fabric that provides incredible wind resistance and even pretty darn good rain resistance, the Helium has been a constant companion this winter and spring. It disappears in your back pocket, ready to go when the road points down or when the wind picks up. Tiny vents, a trim race fit, and strategically placed elastic panels make it superbly functional. Our favorite feature? The asymmetric zip keeps the zipper from stacking on top of your jersey zip and out of the way of your chin. Our second favorite feature? Feeling like a pro when we sit up to pull it off. Now, if only we had a team car to hand it off to. mavic.com Price: $130

Lezyne Carbon Drive Lite This tiny Lezyne hand pump has us leaving the CO2 behind and not missing it one bit if we happen to flat. At only 80grams and 17cm it stows easily in even a tight race fit jersey pocket but can still get up to 100psi without leaving you exhausted at the side of the road. Its made of Lezynes Matrix Carbon Technology with CNCd aluminum hardware but the real star is the ABS Flex hose with a threaded connector stored with in the pump body. You can pump aggressively without fear of breaking your valve stem, technically speaking of course. lezyne.com Price: $60

NUUN Active Hydration We spend all winter trying to loose weight. That means a nice long ride wraps up with a single fish taco, grilled, not the mega carnitas burrito wed like to have. Sucking down drink mix with upwards of 300 calories a bottle certainly doesnt help. Weve been reaching for NUUN, with 8 calories a tablet, they dissolve right in your bottle, adding electrolytes and fighting cramps as we pile on big early season miles. The flavor is light and slightly effervescent, but what keeps us coming back again and again is convenience. Grabbing a tube, popping it open and dropping it in your bottle is faster, easier and more convenient than a mix. When its so effective and tastes so good, why not forego calories in your drink mix and get to enjoy that burrito after your ride? Try the new cherry-limeade flavor. You wont be disappointed. nuun.com Price: $24 for 48 tablets.